Samsung Extends Olympic Partnership Until 2020

Samsung is to provide smartphones, tablets, PCs and printers to Pyeongchang 2018 and Tokyo 2020

Samsung has extended its partnership with the International Olympic Committee (IOC) to cover all Winter and Summer Olympic Games until 2020, and will provide smartphones, tablets, desktops, laptops, printers and other computer equipment to local organising committees.

The Korean manufacturer was a local supplier for the 1988 Olympics in Seoul, and has been the official wireless partner of the IOC since the 1998 Winter Olympics in Nagano, Japan.

Its existing deal already includes Rio 2016 but the new expanded arrangement will now cover the 2018 Winter Games in PyeongChang, South Korea and the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo as “Wireless Communications Equipment and Computing Equipment” partner.

Samsung Olympics

“We are proud to extend our involvement as it is meaningful to us to inspire people through the passion that lies behind the Games and contribute to creating a smarter Olympic Games,” says Younghee Lee, executive vice president of global marketing at Samsung’s mobile division.

IOC president Thomas Bach says the funding generated by The Olympic Partner (TOP) benefits both the Olympic movement and national Olympic committees, while the equipment supplied by Samsung will help contribute to successful games.

“We are delighted to be able to continue our partnership with Samsung,” he says. “Samsung’s technologies and global marketing reach will engage fans around the world with the Olympic values and the Olympic Movement.”

Unlike the Commonwealth Games, where local organising committees are able to choose whatever technology they want, Olympic organising committees are bound to use equipment and services from TOC participants.

Steve McCaskill is deputy editor of TechWeekEurope and joined as a reporter in 2011 having previously written for Steel Media.
He covers mobile devices, telecommunications and networking, along with sports technology.

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